US bishops stress jobs, poverty in Labor Day statement
September 03, 2012
In a statement for the Labor Day holiday, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has expressed dismay that poverty has not been a major issue in 2012 political campaigns.
The statement, issued by the USCCB justice-and-peace committee, and signed by Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton, California, notes that there are 12 million Americans currently unemployed and another 10 million who could be classified as the “working poor” because their job earnings do not provide adequate income.
“Our nation needs an economic renewal that places workers and their families at the center of economic life and creates enough decent jobs for everyone who can work,” the USCCB says.
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Posted by: joancollins507161 -
Sep. 04, 2012 6:12 PM ET USA
I can't understand the dismay of the USCCB over the parties' supposed lack of compassion for the poor. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan made jobs the centerpiece of the whole convention. Do the Bishops envision WPA projects to create makeshift jobs for the unemployed? Perhaps we don't have enough soup kitchens to suit the bishops. Or perhaps they simply can't force themselves to acknowledge Romney's and Ryan's commitment to a climate favorable to job creation because they are Republicans.
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Posted by: unum -
Sep. 04, 2012 7:57 AM ET USA
Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton, California is a political progressive, who assigns roles to the U.S. government that were not envisioned by our founders or allowed by our Constitution. He envisions a yet larger role for government in the economy, but forgets the role of the Church in bringing Christ to our economy and our poor. He believes the health of our economy, which has lifted so many of the poor, is sombody else's responsibility!
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Posted by: lauriem5377 -
Sep. 03, 2012 5:33 PM ET USA
I'm a bit puzzled by this as Mitt Romney has been stressing the need for jobs, jobs, jobs and making it the centerpiece of his campaign. Supporting small businesses by getting government out of their way is one of the best ways to provide for work to lift people out of poverty.
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Posted by: TheJournalist64 -
Sep. 03, 2012 5:28 PM ET USA
I'm sorry, but didn't I hear speaker after speaker at the RNC talk about creating an environment in which jobs could be created and the poor allowed to work themselves out of poverty? Unemployed and underemployed because the current government climate is not friendly to business expansion.
